The Ends Justify The Means, Eh?

Making stuff up to further a political agenda? Unbelievable! McClatchy calls bullshit on some pretty cynical spin in action. (10.17.06):

"It's an easy claim to make, calling yourself a 'political truth squad.' But when a shadowy group pouring untraceable millions into this fall's campaign makes that claim, that bears a little truth-checking itself. Television ads from the group, Progress for America, manage to grab the heart, but also stretch or twist the truth as they work to boost support for the Iraq war." Pro-Republican ads stretch the truth on Iraq to influence elections

The ads feature Todd Beamer's dad. Todd, you may remember, was killed in the Pennsylvania crash of United 93 on 9-11. In one of the ads, Todd's dad says that "'Al-Qaida killed 3,000 Americans on 9/11 and will do anything to destroy us and our way of life. Todd and United 93 fought back. We continue this fight in Iraq today. This enemy must be destroyed in Iraq and wherever we find them.'" "That makes it sound as though the war in Iraq is retaliation against al-Qaida." That would not be true. "Iraq had nothing to do with al-Qaida's attack on us. In fact, a recent Senate Intelligence Committee report showed that not only did Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein not have anything to do with Sept. 11, he also wanted nothing to do with al-Qaida and shunned pleas for help from Osama bin Laden." Lying to cover up the first lie. "Asked to back up its ad, the group pointed to news articles about al-Qaida in Iraq now. But we didn't 'find' al-Qaida in Iraq. They came in to fight us after we invaded."